The teachings of all of the references cited herein are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Cyanoacrylate (CA) ester adhesive compositions have many uses in the medical, dental and veterinary fields. The cyanoacrylate adhesives have been used as replacements for sutures or staples in closing the dermal (skin) layer of wounds or of incisions, liquid bandages and dental cements. In Vietnam a cyanoacrylate adhesive was sprayed over wounds, especially chest and abdominal wounds, to stop bleeding until more conventional surgery could be performed. Such cyanoacrylate compositions must be sterile prior to application to a wound. U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,800 discloses the sterilization of cyanoacrylate adhesives using E-beam radiation. However, the exposure of cyanoacrylate esters to E-beam radiation can result in a partial polymerization of the monomers thus affecting both the shelf life and the performance of the cyanoacrylates. Thus, there is a need for more stable cyanoacrylate formulations that are resistant to polymerization by E-beam radiation.